The health care industry has encountered various challenges over the years, but perhaps the most recent barrier of attracting and retaining health care staff stands out the most. Black River Memorial Hospital (BRMH) is not only dedicated to maintaining a culture that appeals to the general workforce, but more importantly, appeals to our BRMH workforce.

Last fall, leadership at BRMH recognized a decline in employee morale and an increase in staff burnout, understandably so considering the ever-changing health care environment over the past couple of years. It was October of 2021 when BRMH rolled out a positivity and engagement initiative coined, “The Confetti Project.”

The tagline of the five-week project was “spread positivity around like it’s confetti,” which served as a call to action to staff. The multi-faceted project included energetic weekly communications with staff, kindness rocks interviews, “Pop” in Fridays, a “Confetti Inspiration Agency (C.I.A.),” dress-down days, and positivity portfolios. 

Kindness rocks interviews served as a system to relay and acknowledge positive BRMH stories. “Pop” in Fridays allowed for staff to network and mingle, while also providing an opportunity for leadership to glean information from employees on tough topics.

The Confetti Inspiration Agency enhanced employee morale specifically by encouraging staff to engage with co-workers outside of their departments, in secrecy of course! Positivity portfolios were provided to all staff as a way to compile all the fulfilling recognition they received throughout the project. 

From the beginning to the end, BRMH received an outpour of positive feedback from employees. By facilitating these recognition and engagement activities, staff were immediately uplifted and reminded of the incredibly meaningful work they do every day! This initiative ultimately allowed BRMH to assist in creating fulfilling, rewarding careers for our workforce, spreading positivity to all!